Stop wasting time searching for the right tools and get your tool box organized. These tips will help you find just what you need when you need it!
Step 1: Sort All of Your Tools
In order to keep your tool box organized, you have to first gather all of the tools in one location. Grab the tools from your shed, your truck, the basement, everywhere where you store tools and put them all in one pile. It’s a good idea to lay them on a work blanket or tarp to protect the floor.
Next, sort them by the type of tool. Start by sorting small tools, large tools, power tools, etc. Screwdrivers all go in one pile, hammers in another. Then sort by sub-category. So, flathead screwdrivers go in their own pile as do Phillips head screwdrivers. Sort them in as much detail as possible.
Step 2: Make Some Decisions
After everything is sorted, it’s time to ask the tough questions and make the hard decisions so that you can create the best tool storage solution for your needs.
For each tool, ask the following questions:
- Is this a duplicate tool? If it is, how many of them do I need?
- Have I ever used this tool?
- Does it work?
- Do I have a multi-purpose tool that now does this tool’s job more efficiently?
Once you have answered the questions for each tool, place it in one of three piles: keep, donate/give away, throw away.
Broken tools should be thrown away. Tools that still work and are in great condition can be sold online. Tools that have been used but are no longer needed can be donated to charities or given away to family members.
The key is to only keep the tools that you use and need.
Step 3: Decide on a Storage Location
Now that everything has been sorted and you have determined which tools to keep and which ones to get rid of, it’s time to think about where you want to store everything.
Some of the tools may go back to the locations from where you gathered them, but creating a centralized location will help you keep things organized.
Sort the tools into their final destination so that decisions can be made about what type of storage container you need and the space you have available.
Step 4: Choose Your Tool Box or Storage Container
Small, portable toolboxes are great for apartments or to take on the go. For truck owners, a larger toolbox that fits into the bed of the truck might make more sense.
When organizing a tool area in a shed, basement or garage, think vertically. The walls are great surfaces for installing pegboards and other types of hook systems.
A cabinet is also a great option for keeping things stored but out of sight.
Step 5: Put It All Together to Create the Best Tool Box Organization Ever
Put together your cabinet or shelving when it arrives and get ready to organize!
As you place items in the toolbox or another storage system, arrange things so that they:
- Are easy to access
- Have plenty of room and are not overlapping one another
- Are arranged with the most frequently accessed items front and center
- Make sense for how and how often you use them.
In other words, don’t place the screwdrivers in the back or in a hard to reach area when you use them all the time.
Don’t forget to label shelves, bags, bins, and boxes so that you know what is in each container. Not only does it help with the initial organization of the space, but it also makes it easier to keep things organized because you will know exactly where to put it when you’re done using it.
Credit to: The Organize House
